Materials Science

Our work encompasses the study of material properties and processing, and is highly interdisciplinary in nature. HIGP’s advanced instrumentation is a powerful enabler of a wide range of materials science research and education across the University. Advanced materials research is critical to meeting key needs for our State’s economic development and clean energy initiatives.
HIGP instruments and laboratories are a resource for University-wide research, including characterization of natural and synthetic materials to answer questions in the fields of geology and mineralogy of extraterrestrial and terrestrial rocks, solar energy and energy storage, water filtration, catalysis, graphene-based materials, and nanoparticles for drug delivery and biophysical manipulation.
These instruments are also the basis for an exciting new undergraudate materials science course in the College of Engineering, cross-listed with Chemistry, being developed and led by HIGP faculty. HIGP instruments are also central to the new Earth and Planetary Exploration Technology (EPET) certificate curriculum developed by HIGP.
Click to Read More Instrumentation is complemented by powerful analytical, visualization and modeling software, and a computational laboratory. HIGP faculty also have regular access to national synchrotron x-ray facilities.